Hazards: TCE Solvent Linked to Higher Parkinson’s Risk

A new study of twins has found that trichloroethylene, or TCE, a solvent widely used in refrigerants and as a metal degreaser, is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.

The analysis, published Monday in The Annals of Neurology, used data from an American military twin registry to examine 99 twin pairs, average age 65, in which only one sibling had Parkinson’s. A questionnaire was used to establish the twins’ history of jobs and hobbies that would have exposed them to TCE.

A twin who had worked with TCE was more than six times as likely to have Parkinson’s as one who had not, the researchers found. Twins exposed to two other solvents, perchloroethylene and carbon tetrachloride, substances used in dry cleaning and other industries, also had a slightly higher risk of developing Parkinson’s.